GUIDE TO CATHOLIC RECORDS ABOUT NATIVE AMERICANS IN THE U.S.
Volume 3: Western United States
California: CA-47

Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. Los Angeles Province. Archives
St. Mary’s Provincialate and Carondelet Center
11999 Chalon Road
Los Angeles, CA 90049

Phone: 310-889-2189
Email: See website (Contact Us)

 

Hours: By appointment only

Access: Some restrictions apply

Copying Facilities: Yes

 

History: The Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet self-identify with the post-nominal initials, “C.S.J.” and established the Los Angeles Province, 1878. The Sisters of St. Joseph (Lewiston, Idaho) merged with Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet and became part of this province, 1925. The sisters of the Los Angeles Province taught at the following Native American schools:

1873-1932 (transferred to Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange)	St. John the Baptist School (Apache, Pima, Tohono O’odham), Laveen, Gila River Reservation, Arizona
1873-1876, 1888-1932 (transferred to Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary)	San Xavier del Bac Mission School (Pima, Tohono O’odham), Tucson, San Xavier Reservation, Arizona
1890-1956	St. Boniface School (Cahuilla, Serrano, Cupeño), Banning, Riverside County, California
1886-1900 (transferred to Franciscans)	Fort Yuma Government Indian School (Yuma), Winterhaven, Imperial County, California
1887-1907 (closed)	St. Anthony School (Kumiai), San Diego, California
1925-1968 (closed)	St. Joseph Mission School (Nez Perce), Culdusac, Nez Perce Reservation, Idaho

 

Holdings of Catholic records about Native Americans:

Inclusive dates: 1873-1956

Volume: Ca. 2 cubic feet

Description: 9 series include Native Catholic records:

 

/1 “Record Group 177, Education Ministries/ Local Communities--St. Boniface Indian Industrial School, Banning, California”

Inclusive dates: 1890-1969

Volume: Ca. .2 cubic foot

Description:

A. “History,” 1890-1989, undated, 1 folder: includes Teresa McNeil, “Catholic Indian Schools of the Southwestern Frontier: Curriculum and Management,” Southern California Quarterly, undated

B. “Readings in Diocesan Heritage, St. Boniface Indian School,” 1994, 1 folder: by R. Bruce Harley

C. “Letters of Father Florian Hahn, C.Pp.S.,” [Society of the Precious Blood] (1891 and 1893, 1 folder (4 items) D. “Program,” 1898, 1 item

E. “The Mission Indian,” 1896-1900,1 folder: Volumes 1-2, 1896-1897 (typed excerpts), 1900 (1 article) and 2 photos

F. “Newspaper articles,” 1890-1899, 1947, 1 folder: photocopies

 

/2 “Record Group 208, Education Ministries/ Local Communities--St. Thomas Indian Industrial School, Fort Yuma, California”

Inclusive dates: 1880-present

Volume: .4 cubic foot

Description: Includes many typescripts and photocopies from originals at the St. Louis Province Archives of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet and the Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions Records, Marquette University Special Collections and Archives, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

A. “Administrative Records,” 1886-present, 1 folder: includes quarterly school attendance reports

B. “Baptismal register [sacramental records],” 1894-1899, 1 folder

C. “Brochures,” undated, 1 folder

D. “Correspondence, 1886-1904, 1 folder: bound printed volume of originals from the St. Louis Province Archives of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet

E. “Correspondence,” 1888-1899, 1 folder: by Sister Ambrosia O’Neal; typescripts

F. “Father Francisco Garcia, correspondence and notes,” 1976-1986, 1 folder

G. “Historical account by Sister Magdalen Gaffney,” undated,1 folder

H. “History of Fort Yuma Indian School,” 1880-1988, undated, 1 folder: includes notes and related published items

I. “Letters,” 1886-1904, 1 folder: re: Fort Yuma Indians, 3 items

J. “Letters by Sister Aniceta Byrne,” 1889-1899, 1 folder: 4 letters

K. “Letters by Sister Salesia Early,” 1886, 1 folder

L. “Letters by Sister Mary Joseph Franco,” 1882-1886, 1 folder: 2 letters

M. “Letters by Sister Alphonse Lamb,” 1886-1889, 1 folder

N. “Letters by Sister Julia Littenecker,” 1886-1889, 1 folder: to Rev. Mother Agatha Guthrie, C.S.J.

O. “Letters by Sister Ambrosia O’Neal, 1886-1899, 2 folders

P. “Newspaper articles,” 1888-2001, undated, 1 folder

Q. “Photos, maps, and postcards,” undated, 1 folder

R. “Printed historical articles,” 1939-1992, 1 folder: includes: Teresa McNeil, “Sisters of St. Joseph under Fire: Pioneer Convent School on the Colorado River,” The Journal of Arizona History, 1988; Robert L. Bee, Crosscurrents along the Colorado, The Impact of Government Policy on the Quechan Indians, University of Arizona Press, 1981

S. “Quechan [Yuma] Indians,” undated, 1 folder

T. “The Story of St. Thomas Mission by Charles Russell Quinn,” 1968, 1 folder

U. “Yuma Indians,” undated, 1 folder

 

/3 “Record Group 208, Education Ministries/ Local Communities--St. Anthony Indian Industrial School, San Diego, California”

Inclusive dates: 1885-1908

Volume: Ca. .2 cubic foot Description:

A. “History [notes],” 1886-1908, 1 folder

B. “Letters,” 1921, 1 folder

C. “Printed History,” 1975-1988, undated, 1 folder: includes Teresa McNeal, “St. Anthony’s Indian School in San Diego, 1886-1907” The Journal of San Diego History, 1988

D. “Photos and maps,” 1887-1891, undated, 1 folder

E. “Newspaper article,” 1982, 1 folder: includes “CSJ in San Diego,” Southern Cross

 

/4 “Education Ministries/ Local Communities-San Xavier del Bac Mission School, Tucson, Arizona” Inclusive dates: 1873-1932

Volume: .2 cubic foot

 

/5 “Elementary Schools–-St. John the Baptist Indian School, Komatke, Arizona”

Inclusive dates: 1901-1938

Volume: .2 cubic foot

 

/6 “Elementary Schools--St. Joseph Children’s Home (School), Slickpoo, Idaho”

Inclusive dates: 1925-1968

Volume: Ca. .3 cubic foot

 

/7 “Record Group 209, (U.S.) Bureau of Indian Affairs”

Inclusive dates: 1886-1900

Volume: .1 cubic foot

Description: Includes letters by Superintendent Mary O’Neil [Sister Ambrosia O’Neil], 1886-1892

 

/8 “Record Group 210, Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions”

Inclusive dates: 1890-1891

Volume: .1 cubic foot

Description:

A. “Letters,” 1890-1891, 1 folder: notable correspondents include Rev. Joseph A. Stephan, Director, Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions

B. “Letters by Rev. Joseph A. Stephan,” 1890-1891, 1 folder: notable correspondents include Rev. Zephyrin Engelhardt, O.F.M., and Charles S. Lusk, Secretary, Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions

 

/9 “Record Group 600, Photographs”

Inclusive dates: Unknown

Volume: Unknown

Description: 3 photographic series include Native Catholic prints:

A. Series 601.23: St. Anthony School, San Diego, California

B. Series 601.31: St. Boniface School, Banning, California

C. Series 601.57: St. John School, Laveen (Komatke), Arizona

 

Unless otherwise noted, the repository on this page holds (or held) the records described here and they are not held at the Marquette University Archives.

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